The peak body for Victorian Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations has welcomed the federal government's move to establish a permanent aged care advocate for First Nations people, labelling it a significant step towards ensuring older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a stronger voice in the sector.
Last week, the government introduced legislation to permanently establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Commissioner, describing the role as a "strong, independent advocate for older First Nations people".
The legislation implements a key recommendation of the 2021 Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and follows the appointment of interim Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Commissioner Jodi Cassar, who succeeded Andrea Kelly at the end of last month.
The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) said the permanent position — which has also been welcomed by Stolen Generations advocates — reflected what it had long called for: culturally safe, healing-informed aged care designed in genuine partnership with Aboriginal people.
VACCHO Acting Chief Executive Officer Jim O'Shea said the organisation welcomed the introduction of the legislation, arguing it would help ensure First Nations people have a voice in aged care.
"VACCHO has been advocating for this for over a year now," the Gumbaynggirr man said.
"A permanent, independent Commissioner is certainly an important milestone and provides a strong foundation, but continued collaboration with ACCO's [Aboriginal community-controlled organisations] and Aboriginal communities will ensure our Elders can age with the dignity, respect and support they rightly deserve."
Federal Aged Care Minister Sam Rae last week said the commissioner would help address longstanding inequities experienced by First Nations people in the aged care system.
"Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are more likely to need aged care, and more likely to need it earlier. We're establishing a permanent Commissioner to help close that gap, and we're listening to community to inform how we do it," he said.
"This Bill also strengthens protections for older people right across aged care, and keeps the reforms we promised running the way they should after listening to the experiences of older people right across Australia."
Alongside the legislation, the government responded to Ms Kelly's landmark report, Transforming Aged Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, which was informed by extensive consultation with First Nations communities nationwide.
The government has said that whilst work was underway to implement the recommendations, more remained to be done.
The move builds on a measure announced in the May federal budget, which will exempt Stolen Generations survivors from means testing in aged care — a reform long advocated for by organisations including VACCHO, the Healing Foundation and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care Council (NATSIAACC).
Mr O'Shea said VACCHO would continue advocating for Stolen Generations redress payments to be exempt from all aged care income and asset testing, including for people receiving Support at Home programs. He also called on the government to move quickly on developing the recommended 10-year transformational plan, which it accepted in principle.
"Our Elders and older people have waited long enough," he said.
"They cannot, and should not, be asked to wait another decade for meaningful change."
